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    Basement

    4.1 (189 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

    Basement Photos

    BASEMENT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Good for dancing

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    Recommended Reviews - Basement

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    Reviews With Photos

    Phil B.

    Pure luck finding this cool speakeasy bar. No kidding, just walking down the street and saw the sign and then a vintage coke machine that had to be the secret passage to this dope bar/lounge. It's spacious and with very cool vibes. The bartenders were cool and can whip up your faves. Came here on a weeknight after dinner and it was pretty empty which was awesome since it felt like we had it all to ourselves but imagine this place gets busy on the weekends. Really enjoyed this place.

    Aya R.

    My order: Diet Coke The Review: A Diet Coke for $5 wtf! Okay now that I got that out of my system, basement is a cool speakeasy vibe serving steaming hot Asian dishes. My friend loved her shrimp. It had a peanut sauce that smelled amazing. There were no gluten free options, so I just had an expensive and very small Diet Coke. I'd recommend going for a casual bite and hang in a dimly lit environment.

    Front door
    Erin H.

    We stumbled upon this bar after eating dinner in China Town. What a great little speakeasy. The cocktails were great, the bartender was friendly, and we were given free kettle corn! There were games to play too, we just didn't partake. So fun!

    Jungwon K.

    Oof, I had a pretty bad allergic reaction from the smoke and mirrors cocktail. Not necessarily the bar's fault since I don't really know what I was allergic to, but probably won't be back. The interior is cute! Not sure what the target audience is though. When we were there, there were only 3 other parties and one was a bunch of business men in a meeting, one was a young group, and one seemed like a rowdy bachelor party playing beer pong. I like the concept, but something missed the mark.

    margarita
    Alana L.

    Very vibey and cute speakeasy in Chinatown. The music was a bit loud too loud to have a conversation. There is free popcorn (Boom Chicka Pop kettle corn flavor) which is fun. The decorations are cute & there are some games scattered throughout. There is shuffle board (or cup pong) and darts that I saw. Always nice where there is entertainment other than talking and drinking. My only complaint regarding the staff was the waitress was being pushy when I said I was not drinking and did not want water. Everyone else at the table had drinks and If i said twice I was not ordering something, please stop asking. I was only going to be there for a few.

    Anthony P.

    The drinks were just okay, but I would come here for the vibe and the reprieve that this place offers from the sometimes hectic Chinatown streets. If you're planning a food crawl, this place is perfect as a pit stop if you need to grab a drink or two, use the restroom etc in a cool speakeasy space. Or even if you want to end up here after dinner in the area. It's a nice loungey space, with cool tables and dim lighting. The space is located downstairs and behind a coke fridge, which is a fun vibe. The drinks were standard - nothing to write home about, but they meet a need that the neighborhood desperately benefits from - a fun speakeasy watering hole for people to enjoy in the heart of Chinatown. I do wish this place success, and would give them another shot.

    Jillian B.

    Stopped by early on a Saturday, and it was empty. The bartender told us to take a seat and she would come by and take our order - I got a coffee cocktail (Java Ink, $16) while my partner ordered a beer. The complimentary popcorn was good (it was kettle corn!) and is always a fun touch. I'm sure it can get crowded, but it was the perfect first spot to grab a drink before our dinner reservation.

    Chinatown Old Fashioned.
    Cindy Z.

    This little speakeasy bar in Chinatown is located in the basement through a vending machine door. If you didn't know about it, you'd walk right by without noticing. Once inside, the space had plenty of seating with beer pong tables. Since it was still early, it wasn't busy at all when we arrived. I got the HK Milk Punch ($16) while the boyfriend had the Chinatown Old Fashioned ($25). I also love that they offer FREE popcorn. And this isn't just regular butter popcorn, but a bit of a caramel-glazed popcorn. This is perfect with the drinks. While I didn't think the HK Milk Punch didn't really taste like a milk tea (if that's what they're going for), it was still refreshing and good. The Old Fashioned was strong too albeit quite pricey. The little popcorn that came with the cocktail was adorable, but a little pointless when you get complimentary popcorn anyways. Good, chill spot to hang out with some Asian-inspired cocktails. Seriously love the free popcorn here too. It was a hot day, so the AC was also blasting here and felt amazing. Great bar to hang out at while in Chinatown area.

    Mike K.

    Excellent drinks. Fun vibe. Games. Friendly bartenders. Oh and a secret entrance! What more could you ask for? Came here with the spouse and it was a big hit. First you have to find the place, and I'll leave that for somewhere else. IYKYK. You walk in off the street and piw you're in a cool speakeasy. Comfortable seats. Great music (80s/90s new wave the night I went.) The drinks were superb. Get the ones with Mezcal! Or not. They were all good. Have fun with the games, we played their version of sorry. The food was unique as well. Just the sauce for the fries was having us guessing what was in it.

    Atmosphere
    Mia H.

    I came here for a mixer event one day and loved the space! Hidden behind a coca cola machine, this speakeasy is a nice gem in Chinatown. The space is lively, has multiple areas where you can chill or play games with friends and a live DJ. The drinks here are pretty good, and I would love to come back again.

    Mary A.

    Not sure of the address but the food was great! I absolutely loved the mapo tofu, the beef chow fun was sooooo flavorful, definitely top tier, the fried rice was great, and the dumplings in hot oil had an incredible texture but too much vinegar for me.. the bartender was a little rude but my friend is not from around here so she took his hand wave as inappropriate or something? Idk.

    Shanghai Mule
    Gloria Z.

    Super cute underground speakeasy behind a coca cola machine. It has a lot of asian inspired cocktails and the one I had was very good! There's also small party games like darts and pong. I went on a Tuesday at 8PM so there weren't too many people but it seems like a nice place to chat and hang out with your friends. Would love to come back on the weekend.

    Rob H.

    Stopped by the bar for a drink before dinner. A very cool spot with a Coca Cola fridge door as the entrance. When you walk in your in an underground bar with about 20 tables and some beer pong tables in a dark setting. Plenty of lit signs on the wall. The bartenders provided great services and the drinks were relatively cheap and had plenty of draft beer options. Would definitely come back for some drinks and to try their new food menu.

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    2 years ago

    Nice neighborhood bar/speakeasy-- bartenders are entertaining and the drinks are reasonable.

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    Pretty fun bar to get some soju and chill before heading out. Not a bad pregame spot. It's hella Asian but expected of the area.

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    1 year ago

    Fun spot. Service was inattentive. Good cocktails. Music played was wide ranging and enjoyable.

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    Page 2 of 5

    Ask the Community - Basement

    What time/ day is happy hour?

    No happy hour

    Can an 19yr old enter? With an adult

    Nope

    Is there a coat check?

    No there isn't. Make sure you leave your stuff close. My friend got his bag stolen

    Do they have a happy hour?

    Doesn't seem like it. More just a set menu of cocktails.

    Are they open on Sunday/Monday?

    Open 7 days a week

    What time do they open?

    5pm.

    What is their phone number?

    (929)777-1388

    View All 8 Questions

    Review Highlights - Basement

    Located centrally in Chinatown, this speakeasy has plenty of parking at night, which is definitely a plus for NYC.

    Mentioned in 45 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Dear Irving on Broadway - Josephine Room

    Dear Irving on Broadway

    4.5(35 reviews)
    3.5 miMidtown West

    Finding a good cocktail bar in NYC is not that difficult for most, but I find that my friend and I…read morehave become a bit of cocktail snobs lately, as we always look for something specific during our travels. We are tequila and mezcal drinkers so a lot of places, we've found lately, so not have as big of mezcal selections. This was the exception. We wanted to go to the location that wasn't in such a touristy area, but it was so cold that we didn't wanna walk so we just did this location. The aesthetic is super warm and takes you to somewhere luxurious and almost even tropical with the light shades and all. The bartenders are actual mixologists so if you tell them what you're thinking of, they'll likely be able to execute. Our bartenders were very attentive and enthusiastic in creating the drinks we had in mind. All we had to do was give them a brief idea and we got these wonderful drinks back. I wish I had pictures, but the drinks were flowing and the conversation was so good. We were thoroughly impressed. Great program they're running here, their mixologists know what they're doing!

    I was here for an event, so didn't order entrees/mains. We did have some appetizers and finger…read morefood, which wasn't the tastiest...the best thing there were probably the lobster rolls and sliders. The drinks were very delicious, though! The bartenders were nice and made the drinks very quickly. There was one who was consistently friendly, as opposed to the blonde lady there. I'd go back again on a date night because the interior had major sexy vibes.

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    Dear Irving on Broadway - Cocktails

    Cocktails

    Dear Irving on Broadway - Cocktail

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    Sunken Harbor Club - Shallows drinks

    Sunken Harbor Club

    4.5(115 reviews)
    1.8 miDowntown Brooklyn
    $$$

    I've been trying to go to Sunken Harbor for over a year now. I don't know how it's possible but…read moredespite being local it always seems to have a private event whenever we have plans to go. The stars finally aligned this winter and I had the opportunity to try it out. The vibes are perfect. Fog and bubbles, sea noises and all of the art go together seemlessly. Drinks were great. We had three and left suitably sloshed for the night with no aftereffects. We didn't have too many bites but the food was very good for a bar. I'm excited to go back and I hope we have just as much luck getting in next time.

    This is a "speakeasy" above Gage and Tollner. An undersea Tiki style adventure with a sexy mermaid…read moreheading up the bar. Nautical theme throughout with weathered leather, ropes, fish. Cocktails are made with various types of rum and ingredients like grapefruit, maraschino, wormwood amaro, falernum, thyme, Assam tea, spiced lime, allspice, coconut, cucumber, nutmeg, sour orange. All the drinks keep with the tropical, fruity taste with a hint of spice. They are also broken up into categories (dry land = no alcohol, shallows = average amount of alcohol, and abyss (larger amounts of alcohol). The abyss section has some cocktails that are limited to two per customer. They have some bar bites like fried green tomatoes, shrimp toast, broiled oysters, ricotta, dumplings, sliders. I had the French fries with kimchi ranch, which were underwhelming. Bartenders were cool and kept the drinks coming. I got in immediately without an issue or a wait, but it was right after a snowstorm. I've seen some people struggle to get in or have a long wait.

    Photos
    Sunken Harbor Club - View of the bar

    View of the bar

    Sunken Harbor Club - Mary Pickford - IG @bougiefoodieboi

    Mary Pickford - IG @bougiefoodieboi

    Sunken Harbor Club - Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner

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    Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner

    Dear Strangers - Such a nice cute bar!

    Dear Strangers

    4.3(28 reviews)
    1.1 miGreenwich Village

    Dear Strangers is a wonderful hidden gem! We celebrated Valentine's Day there last night and while…read morethe restaurant was incredibly busy, we never felt overlooked or underserved. The owners were milling around making sure everyone was well taken care of and the wait staff were kind and personable. Now the food...AMAZING!!! Every bite we took was wonderful and so surprising with creative combinations and gorgeously presented. The restaurant itself was hip and refined and seemed to be the happening spot of the night. We will certainly be back!

    Met up with friends here for dinner before a show near Washington square. It wasn't super crowded…read morewhen we arrived around 6pm (maybe due to the extreme cold that day) but started filling up gradually. I loved the ambiance and decor, very cozy. As for food, there were some true hits but most of the food was good but basic. The highlights for me were the wild mushrooms & rice cakes as well as the Caesar salad - loved the use of nori in the salad and would definitely come back for the mushrooms. The chicken cutlet and chicken dumplings were fine but I probably wouldn't order them again. The wait staff weren't super attentive nor super warm, but they were efficient when we asked for water refills, etc. There was ample standing room at the bar while we waited for our friends, but the table/booth that we sat at was super narrow, I was knocking knees with my friend all night and generally felt squished.

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    Dear Strangers
    Dear Strangers
    Dear Strangers - Smoked chicken croquettes

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    Smoked chicken croquettes

    Attaboy - Tiny bar which is why the long waits to get in but cozy and cool vibe

    Attaboy

    4.1(869 reviews)
    0.5 miLower East Side
    $$

    Attaboy has my heart and soul, especially after crafting, curating and creating my dream drink that…read morewill live forever in the memory of my taste buds unable to be erased from my brain's footprints. Our friends raved about this place and we of course were excited (and a bit skeptical at first) to try it. The concept: no menu + no lights + a few questions = the ultimate cocktail experience. The speakeasy vibe and the dark ambiance really makes this place feel even more exclusive. With just a few tables and the bar setting, you're in for an experience you won't forget (unless you answer the wrong questions and really end up with a drink you don't like HA). This wasn't my case. Of course I described my two favorite things: Negroni + mezcal. The obvious answer would be a mezcal Negroni, but that's not why one comes to a place like Attaboy. Our amazing curator came by to ask us all a few questions, write down a few words in the napkins, and mix up the perfect drink that our master bartender crafts, curates and creates. My drink came as I couldn't possibly imagine. It looked like a Negroni smelled like Oaxaca, with all the smoke simmering up and preparing my sensory experience, leading to the best first sip. Ladies and gentleman, I introduce you to The Devil's Backbone. A perfectly balanced drink I'll never forget, one that is sipped slowly and enjoyed thoroughly. It's sexy, it's smoky it's sipped. Attaboy gave the best mixology experience and we can't wait to be back. Pro tip: be sure to be as vocal as possible, even with ice, so you don't end up with a tiki drink if that's not your vibe.

    This is one of the must-try bars in NY. You describe the flavor profile of the drink you want and…read morethe bartender whips up something for you. I only said I wanted something "floral" and I got the best water lily drink curated for me - never had anything like it. Others in my group asked for "something spicy", "something smoky, nutty, and creamy" and something "refreshing". We were all extremely impressed. Our bartender was Steven and he was awesome! He even chatted with us for a bit after to tell us more about attaboy. I'm rounding up to 5 stars but I will say our experience with the "bouncer" was a bit unpleasant. He called us to let us know our table was ready but we missed the call (our fault). We returned the call immediately and got there within a couple minutes anyway. We were ready to patiently wait for the next availability but were met with some attitude and unnecessary comments from him during the waiting experience. Regardless, we had a great time inside to make up for this. Highly recommend, but just be sure to make a reservation or be on alert and on time when getting off the waitlist.

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    Attaboy - Small space but good vibes

    Small space but good vibes

    Attaboy - Interior bar seat

    Interior bar seat

    Attaboy - The Orange Moon

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    The Orange Moon

    The Dead Rabbit - Scotch eggs

    The Dead Rabbit

    4.2(2.1k reviews)
    1.0 miFinancial District
    $$

    The "coconut milk was off" cocktail was soo good. All the cocktails (electric momisette and miso…read morecolada) were fun, creative, and delicious. The food (dingle pie and spice bag chips) were also really good. The spice bag chips seasoning was really good. We walked in Wednesday 8:30 PM and they had a couple of high chair seats at a side bar in the parlor room available. Really fun decorations and ambiance.

    If you're looking for one of the best Irish pubs in Lower Manhattan, The Dead Rabbit absolutely…read morelives up to the hype. Tucked into the Financial District, this spot blends old New York history with some of the best cocktails in the city--and it's easy to see why it's been named "World's Best Bar" more than once. The name itself has a wild backstory, inspired by a notorious 19th-century Irish-American gang from Five Points. It adds a layer of character to the place, but what really keeps people coming back is the atmosphere and the drinks. The space is split into two levels: a two lively, sawdust-floored Taprooms downstairs and a more refined Parlor upstairs if you're in the mood for a quieter, cocktail-focused experience. Drinks are the real highlight here. The Irish Coffee is widely considered one of the best in the world--rich, smooth, and perfectly balanced with whiskey, coffee, and fresh cream. They also get creative with variations like a frozen version and even an Irish Coffee martini. If you want something different, the "Act Naturally" is a standout, mixing Irish whiskey with Guinness and fig in a way that works. Food is just as impressive for a bar. The lobster deviled eggs (topped with caviar) are a must-try, and the menu leans into elevated comfort food. Overall, The Dead Rabbit nails the balance between historic charm and modern cocktail excellence. The D.R. is one of those places that is never boring and consistently delivers.

    Photos
    The Dead Rabbit - Irish Coffee

    Irish Coffee

    The Dead Rabbit - Jingle All The Way

    Jingle All The Way

    The Dead Rabbit - Irish coffee

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    Apotheke - Apotheke Bar Chinatown

    Apotheke

    3.8(1.6k reviews)
    0.1 miChinatown, Civic Center
    $$$

    Apotheke was one of my first experiences with a hidden speakeasy a number of years ago, and it…read morestill remains the OG in my vast encyclopedia of experiences. :) Strolling down Chinatown's busy and gritty Doyers Street, looking for any sign of Apotheke is a fond memory, then finally figuring out where it was, and entering through the mysterious and otherworldly threshold resulted a transformative experience that made me feel like I time traveled. Mood lighting, comfortable seating, great drinks in a cozy and Victorian-inspired space are the perfect blend of unique and. I always felt like I was part of something special the few times enjoyed creative, delicious, and strong libations from the pros at the bar. While it has always been pricey, I do feel like the excellent service ambiance, and drink quality warrant this, but may prevent more folks from becoming regulars so to speak. I love the clever and compact bathroom design, too. IYKYK Long live Apotheke!

    Fifteen years later and Apotheke is still one of my favorites!…read more You will walk past this hidden speakeasy several times before finding it. I could tell you to look for the blue beaker sign that says "Chemist" but the better tell is the random guy sitting on a stool outside. He'll be the only person on the street, so no worries about missing him! The menu has changed over the years, but the quality has not. The bartenders are social and personable. And the prices are in line for the area. My bestie and I loved the vibe. One of the best speakeasies she's had the pleasure of experiencing. Don't miss out on this place!

    Photos
    Apotheke - The bar

    The bar

    Apotheke - Live Band

    Live Band

    Apotheke - Beautiful bar

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    Beautiful bar

    Basement - wine_bars - Updated May 2026

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